Casara
The Friendly Empire of Casara,'' or, more simply, the '''Casaran Empire' or just Casara, is an African Empire that stretches over almost the entirety of the Sahara and Sahel Deserts, as well as most of Africa’s western coast north of the equator. Its capital is at Tepitilan, in the Tamanrasset Oasis, home to an estimated 5,649,123 people, emerging as one of the world’s most important cities by the end of the 1950s. According to Casaran lore, the Empire of Casara was traditionally founded by Arges I in 1548 under the ideals of tribal communalism. Later archaeological research- especially by Roman historian Rufus Martinus- has shown that Arges was a fabrication, created to serve as a "societal role model" with Casaran communalism dating back several centuries prior to Arges’ supposed rule. Still, Casaran society lives by Arges’ principle, with each Casaran city owning all supplies imaginable, with the people only using them when they need it. Income taxes are extremely high, but only because the only thing Casarans have to pay for is entertainment- all the necessities are provided by the government. Thus, the largest industries in Casara are entertainment and tourism, with the hospitality sector providing the highest paid jobs. Furthermore, because of their communal spirit, the Casaran people are overtly friendly and kind, earning them the reputation of “the friendliest people in the world.” Historically, it has maintained its independence save for a 114-year period from 1832 to 1946 where the French government held it as a protectorate, where it still held effective internal autonomy. Following the ouster of the French from its territory, it waged war with the French until 1960 that ousted France from Africa, with Casara taking over the entire former colonial grouping known as “French West Africa” (except for the Algerian coast, which fell to Rome). Thus, the current period is held as Casara’s “Golden Age”, as the empire has become one of the world’s strongest nations economically and militarily. Due to its cultural ideology, Casara is primarily a peacemaker and a trader, very rarely engaging in offensive campaigns. Its economy is primarily resource-based due to its desert locations, although, due to its friendly reputation, tourism in places along the coast as well as in historic Timbuktou and in Tepitilan (home of weekly festivals) has also contributed greatly. Quotes “In Casara, you are measured not by what you have but what you can do for others. They say that this makes them better than capitalists, but at least a capitalist isn’t shy about the true motivations behind their actions.”- William Dalton, Scottish historian, “The Inevitable Keynesian Empire” (1924) At A Glance Nation Name: The Friendly Empire of Casara Demonym: Casaran Capital: Tepitlan Independence or Founding Date: May 9, 1548 (traditional founding by Arges I, archaeological research suggests this date should be closer to 1562) Population: 256,461,992 Official Language(s): Casaran Government Type: Constitutional Democratic Monarchy Head of State: Emperor Psas Gydunk Head of Government: Emperor Psas Gydunk, Chancellor Renald Tyfeng Official Religion: None Largest Religion: Frenetas, (“Casaran Church of Happyology” in English) Constitution: Yes Economy Type: Socialist Currency: Casaran cram (¤) (¤100=$1) Summer Time: No Time Zone(s): UTC-1, UTC, UTC+1 Calling Code: +777 Internet TLD: .ce Maritime Boundary (nm): 24 nautical miles Aircraft Registration Code: CAS Economic Rating: Strong Political Rating: Liberal Socialist Republic Military Rating: Strong Military Size: 2 million in peace time, can reach up to 5 million at wartime or higher if needed. Special Weapons: -Chemical: Yes (secret) - Biological: Yes (secret) - Radiological: Yes (secret) - Nuclear: Yes (secret) Major Events May 9, 1548: Casara Traditional date of the foundation of Casara at Tepitilan in the Tamanrasset Oasis. c. 1562: Casara Actual foundation of Tepitilan, based on correspondence recovered by archaeological digs. March-August 1694: Casara Casaran troops enter the Niger Basin for the first time, annexing northern Niger by the end of August. December 6, 1832: Casara Following defeat at the Battle of Palms, Casara is made into a French protectorate. October 5, 1950: Casara Casaran victory at Dakar against the French leads to the Casaran ouster of France and the annexation of the former colony of French West Africa. February 11, 2010: Casara “Jubilee Festival” attracts world-record 50 million visitors on grounds west of Tepitilan. History In 1547, Arges Sulumansy was on the run. He had been raised a slave at a time when the Songhai Empire, while not quite as strong as it once was, was still a place of incredible decadence. Arges despised his servitude, and rounded up more disenfranchised slaves to join him in one last stand in the desert. In 1548, they had reached the Tamanrasset Oasis, and set up camp for the ensuing battle. In May of that year, Arges and his men- who called themselves “Casaran”, the word for "friendship" in their local slave language- waged the Battle of Tamanrasset against the Songhai, finally winning on May 9. At that point, Arges founded the Casaran capital of Tepitilan (“triumph”) at Tamanrasset, and laid down the foundation of today’s Casaran Empire. At its core, Arges insisted that him and his people owned nothing and shared everything, believing that the pursuit of wealth had corrupted societies like the Songhai. It is Arges’ belief that fuels Casaran society today, with every Casaran owing a debt of gratitude to their great founder...and it all started at Tamanrasset. Or, that’s what the Casarans would like you to believe. Archaeological research- most prominently by 19th century Roman historian Rufus Martinus, with Casaran researchers themselves confirming it- has yet to show any evidence of Casaran activity in the oasis before 1562 when, conveniently, Arges was supposedly assassinated by his son, Basul, for “straying from Casaran ideology.” Therefore most historians believe that Basul the Kind was actually Casara’s first erad semptor (“first citizen”, shortened to “erad” in common parlance), with evidence suggesting that Basul conjured Arges as justification for representing the Casarans in Songhai court, since Basul was likely born out of wedlock. The Songhai, according to sources, likely simply withdrew from Tamanrasset because, at the outer edge of its territory, the area was difficult to maintain. The Casarans, speculated to be a tribe spun off from sub-Saharan Africa, occupied the area under Basul upon Songhai withdrawal, with numbers likely reaching no more than 1,000 people. Evidence suggests that even from that early point in history, the Casaran system of tribal communalism was in full force, with even Basul being forbidden from actually owning anything. In such small numbers, though, sharing resources and necessities was much easier- as the population grew, challenges to the system began to emerge. In 1588, the Casarans faced their first test to their independence. The Mali Empire, on its last legs, sought the resources of the oasis to strengthen its hold on recalcitrant vassals, believing the small Casaran kingdom would easily succumb to their forces. However, the Malians underestimated the bond the Casarans forged, losing dramatically at the Battle of Fisher’s Bridge as the Casarans fought as a far more cohesive unit. The ensuing peace deal allowed Casara to expand into Malian territory, eventually reaching Gao by 1599. In 1629, the Casarans had their first interactions with the French, exploring from trading posts in Senegal. At first, their interactions with the French were cordial, as the Casarans and the French became close trading partners. The Casarans also proved helpful to France in increasing their influence in sub-Saharan Africa, with the French in turn helping them enter the Niger Basin. This mean that by 1700, Casara and France shared a common border at the Niger River’s eastern half. The 18th century saw the kingdom enjoy a period of extended peace, but towards the end, signs of trouble with the French began to brew. The Barbary Wars pushed the coastal Berbers southward, putting pressure on the new kingdom. Not long after Napoleon sent his troops southward in Algeria, culminating in the first Casaran-French conflict, the Battle of Yamaret in 1803, with the Grand Armee and its technological prowess pulling off a decisive victory. Pressures in Europe forced Napoleon to abandon the attempt at conquering Casara, but Napoleon’s loss at Waterloo would only delay the inevitable. By 1832, the French were completing their conquest of Algeria and began to look southward. Rene Savary, the Duke of Rovigo, knew the importance of spreading French influence to the other coast of Africa, thus making Casara a target. After a long siege of Tepitilan from March to November 1832, the French decisively defeated the Casarans at the Battle of the Palms just outside of the capital. Logistical concerns prevented the French from properly establishing administrative control, but since the French found the Casarans to be “useful”, France kept the nation as simply a protectorate. Under the French, the Casarans enjoyed local autonomy, although its defence and foreign affairs were handled by Paris. The nation was unlike its colonial neighbours around it in that its citizens were not entirely under the whims of France and had limited self-determination, but this was due to the Casarans remembering 1832 and deciding that fighting the French was fruitless instead of having any liking to its exploitative “protector”. Still, from time to time, uprisings would occur only for the French to put them down. The Casarans realized in the aftermath of the French conquest their country was behind Europe in terms of infrastructure and technology, so they determined that the only way to eventually evict the French was to learn from them. In 1916, Camaras Eshoj led a hunger strike outside of a factory protesting an increase in French taxation in Casara. Eshoj would lead a number of other civil disobedience campaigns- such as the 1922 Cactus March- that brought Casaran nationalism to the global spotlight. It is said that Indian nationalist Mahatma Ghandi would be inspired by Eshoj, although the extent of this is debatable. Eshoj’s peaceful approach had a way of igniting passions against the French, with the rest of Western Africa prepared to join the Casarans in their struggle with France. World War II and the temporary displacement of Paris as the colonial master delayed the Casaran uprising (as the Casarans wanted to fight the Axis Powers), but as soon as the war was finished, the Casarans resumed their struggle. A day after the European armistice was signed, Casaran General Atimus Flack took down the French flag from his army base and burned it, indicating that the war had begun. Despite protests from Eshoj that the campaign remain peaceful, France’s decision to rock Tepitilan with airstrikes forced the issue. The French believed that by being aggressive they would destroy Casaran resolve, but it only strengthened it- as well as the resolve of its former docile colonies. Flack raised an enormous army of Western Africans to campaign against the French, winning their first battle at Gao on July 13, 1945. Flack kept the pressure on, clearing the French from the Sahel and the Sahara by the end of 1945, allowing them to turn their attention to the more fortified coastal cities. In January of 1946, Flack captured Niamey, which opened the door for him to attack Bamako and Abidjan. By the summer of 1946, Bamako was in Casaran hands, and by spring of 1947, Abidjan was captured. It was at this time that the instability that plagued the French Fourth Republic reared its head. Since no government could agree on a working coalition, separatist movements in many of France’s regions began to enter the spotlight, believing that working with Paris had become untenable. The first region to separate from France was Occitania via plebiscite- already a Roman majority region, Occitania naturally joined Rome, with Aquitaine joining as a province and Provence joining the Republic proper. The loss of Occitania spurred French action in Algeria, which forced Flack to abandon his plans on Dakar to face the northern threat. Algeria, home to many Romanized Muslims dating back to Ottoman times, was also prepared to join Rome via plebiscite, which Rome was willing to defend. Sensing the opportunity to gain an important ally on the international front, the Casarans assisted the Algerians in their revolt, with Algiers falling to a combined Roman-Casaran-Algerian force by the end of 1949. This left Senegal as the last bastion of French power in Africa, one the reeling Republic had no hope to hold on to. To defend Dakar, the French called upon their famous general, Charles de Gaulle, which boosted morale and increased discipline in French ranks. De Gaulle won France’s first battle against Casara since the Battle of the Palms by defeating Flack outside of Kayes, momentarily stopping Casaran momentum. A further string of victories in the spring of 1950 gave de Gaulle confidence to start an offensive of his own, and on May 30, he marched on Bamako. However, the economic hit France took after World War II meant that de Gaulle’s attempt would be futile. Faced with logistical nightmares and dwindling supplies, the French were repulsed at Bamako, and the Casarans didn’t look back. In October, after several skirmishes, Dakar fell to Casara, and colony of French West Africa was no more. The collapse of FWA led to the turn of the tide for the Indochinese in their own war against France, which they ultimately won in 1954. After further instability at home, mostly due to their lost colonies, the Fourth Republic was no more, and in 1956, to preserve order in the Cold War, the Dutch took over France just like they had taken over West Germany. With the incorporation of French West Africa, the Casarans rechristened their king, erad priori cazari, or “first among friends”, acknowledging the helpfulness of the other peoples that helped it evict the French. This rechristening is held as the beginning of the Casaran Empire, with the first Emperor, Arges IX, taking the inagural throne on October 31, 1950. Afterwards, Casara spent millions restructuring its infrastructre in order to properly incorporate its new territories. The other ethnicities embraced Casara’s sense of communalism, given that most were impoverished themselves due to French exploitation. Reforms were still necessary due to the vast increase in territory, but by the end of the decade, Casara’s economy would stabilize. Since independence, Casara has enjoyed immense prosperity, due in no small part to the nation’s abundant resources. They also gained a reputation for friendliness as a peacemaker during the Cold War troubles, and have maintained their role as peacemaker in today’s world in light of the renewed British-Roman rivalry, a reputation that has meant they have the greatest number of diplomatic relations worldwide. Economy The Casaran Empire’s economy, given its desert location, is primarily resource-based, dominated by oil and natural gas. Thus, it is prone to “boom and bust” cycles, although reforms in the 1970s have gone a long way in making the Casaran economy that much more diversified. The other major sector of the Casaran economy is tourism. Due in no small part to the coastal areas’ natural beauty and the reputation of Casaran citizens as friendly, millions of tourists visit Casara’s many attractions every month. The largest draw is the Tepitilan Jubilee Festival, held throughout the month of February, which draws an average of 30 million visitors annually, with a high of 50 million in 2010. The Dakar Sunrise Festival, held in the first weekend of April, rivals the Jubilee Festival, averaging four million visitors over the course of the four-day holiday. The economic system of Casara has been described by outsiders as “socialist” due to the fact that Casarans have almost everything provided for them, but the term isn’t wholly accurate. The Casarans allow extensive privitization, with corporate tax rates that are comparable with the economies of Rome and Britain. Casaran citizens, though, are burdened with a 60% income tax, which can reach up to 70% based on certain wealth thresholds. This is because essentials such as housing, food, medical services, public transport, clothing, utilities and the like are provided for the people completely free of charge, with the government going out of its way to provide services of good quality. The responsibilities of provision fall to the urban centres, which collect the taxes (a portion of which goes to the central government). Citizens, though, are permitted to purchase some items the government could provide for them anyway, such as clothes or a car, although, in practice this is rarely done. Unemployment is practically non-existent, due to government placement programs and laws that call for jail time against people proven to abuse the Casaran system. Politics Casara is a constitutional monarchy, with the Emperor, or “Erad” in local parlance, elected via a direct vote. The citizens also directly elect the provincial governors as well as their municipal mayor. The leaders then appoint their own ministers to assist them, and have the ability to rule by decree. However, their laws are vetted through the Casaran Constitution, which protects the central rights of Casaran life (including communalism), and each level of government has oversight through judiciary committees, which are also directly elected by the people (with the highest court being the Casaran Imperial Oversight Court, or ECO from its Casaran language acronym). The judiciary has no legislative power of its own, but it does have the power to strike down unconstitutional laws on its own accord, or if enough subjects at that level of government ask for a review of the law via a plebiscite. Administratively, the Casaran Empire is divided into 10 provinces: -Mauritania (cap. Nouakchott) -Mali (cap. Bamako) -Senegambia (cap. Dakar) -Ivory Coast (cap. Abdijan) -Ghana (cap. Accra) -Dahomey (cap. Lome) -Niger (cap. Niamey) -Chad (cap. N’djamena) -Central Sahara (cap. Timbuktu) -Tamanrasset (cap. Tepitilan) The capital of Casara is Tepitilan, which was the name of the Tamanrasset Oasis to the Casarans before they arrived in the area via the Berbers. An Islamic court exists in Timbuktu to cater to the Casaran Muslims, although its decisions are still subject to Casaran law and the Casaran Constitution. Society The Casarans have their own unique language and culture, cultivated and evolving over the years with the influences of other cultures it interacted with in its history, such as the Berbers or the Tuareg. Politically, the Casarans generally lean socially very liberal (even amongst its Muslim population) due to its history of multiculturalism and communalism, although abortion continues to be a divisive issue. Casarans are known for their sunny disposition and friendliness, with people opening their homes to complete strangers- even tourists- being not uncommon. Casarans are very affectionate in general, greeting each other with a hug, even someone they are meeting for the first time, with people who are closer to each other might kiss each other on the cheeks. Friends- even if they are both male- are known to hold hands with each other without any sexual connotations, although those not in a relationship do not interlock the fingers. It is considered rude to ignore someone you know when passing by them in a setting like a hallway or the streets, unless one is in a hurry. When entertaining guests or simply meeting someone’s guests for the first time, it is considered improper to ignore a guest, and one must start from the oldest and proceed to the youngest. Grudges in Casara are also extremely frowned upon, as anger in general is seen to build up one’s negative energy. Too much negative energy is believed to cause hardship later in life and in the afterlife, so if one wants to avoid the hardships, they must atone for their misdeeds and commit acts of kindness. Kindness, on the other hand, is said to build positive energy that rewards the person later in life. Forgiveness also builds this energy, meaning Casarans are expected to “turn the other cheek” in most situations, with the only allowance being if one needs to defend themselves from further harm. Alcohol and other recreational drugs are legal in Casara and are prevalent at its many festivities, but one can only purchase such items from government-run stores. It is also illegal to be intoxicated at work or while operating any kind of heavy machinery. Owing to its communal nature, it is considered a taboo to be a “hermit” and refuse to engage in social activity. The only reason one can give for staying at home is if they are tired from working or if they have chores to finish at home, otherwise the expectation in Casaran culture is that one mingles with the rest of society. Thus, “hermits” are looked upon with greater suspicion than they may be in Rome or Britain While Casarans have no social taboo against “revealing” clothing- Casara even has no law against public nudity, owing to its sub-Saharan origins- in the northern desert regions it is often not seen because it is impractical. Closer to the coast one finds people less predisposed to covering themselves, as the climate generally makes layers impractical. However, using nudity or revealing clothing in a sexualized manner is extremely frowned upon in Casara and while “Western-style” pornography is not banned, it is not nearly as heavily consumed. Strip clubs and prostitution are also very uncommon, as both practices are seen as “selfish” and thus contrast with the ideal of communalism. The Casarans have their own religion. It is thought their practices evolved from a previous sub-Saharan grouping that has since gone extinct, but research on this topic is still ongoing. Thus, their language is unique as are many of their other rituals. There are no formal gathering times required, but Casarans are still expected to salute the gods (which one depends on the activity) before partaking in an activity and are expected to visit one of the many temples for Resto, the god held to “inspire” Arges I, and pray to him. Thus, Casaran parlance is full of many different salutations and sayings and it is not uncommon to hear them uttered in daily discourse. One of the more unique aspects of Casaran religion is their funeral ritual. Upon someone’s death, the Casarans believe one transfers to another lifeform, with that transfer based upon their conduct as a human. Creatures such as birds, owing to the freedom of air and the proximity to the heavens, are seen as favourable creatures to turn into, while creatures such as fish, owing to the restrictiveness of swimming and the proximity to the underworld, are seen as undesirable. Most of the time, the creature selected is a bird, although at the funeral of convicted killers it is more common for fish to be used. Thus, you will see at a funeral the skeleton of the desired lifeform (the skeletons now being made synthetically) hanging above the casket, with prayers being said to implore the gods to transform the dead person into the desired creature. The skeleton is then taken down and brought to a room that only the priest is allowed into. This room connects to the back of the temple, with doors that open to the outside. These doors are connected to a bell, which rings when the doors are opened. According to lore, after the skeleton is brought into the room it is actually transformed into the intended creature which is then promptly released, although in practice it is just stored in a special box with the doors opening to air. Sometimes an actual creature, held in a cage, is used to mimic the transformation by having it released into the wild, but settings and the particular temple’s finances may not allow for that to happen. Once the release is finished, a party celebrating the deceased person’s life begins, which oftentimes lasts into the night. Casarans are known for their entertainment, with numerous different kinds of festivals and musical tastes being found across the Empire, with the year filled with events. Of particular note is the “Jubilee Festival” in Tepitilan, which runs for the entire month of February and is designed to be a celebration of Casara’s many different cultures. Sports is also a favourite pastime of Casarans, with soccer overwhelmingly at the top of the list. Criminal justice in Casara is tailored towards rehabilitation, with prisons only being used to house criminals who commit egregious violent crimes, such as murder or rape. Capital punishment does not exist in Casara, with the worst offenders being forced into solitary confinement for the rest of their lives without the chance of parole. Recidivism in Casara is thus very low, which owes itself to Casaran cultural mores and the policy of rehabilitation. Transportation Automobile ownership in Casara is severely limited by law, as the only people allowed to own vehicles are those who require it for their business (such as a landscaper) or those who frequently travel outside of the country (such as a trucker or diplomat). Thus, the public transportation system in Casara is extensive, with coverage in every city and town in the Empire. High speed trains are utilized between the major urban centres, with more conventional buses running in smaller locales. Public transportation is run by the central government under the Casaran Transport Authority. A zone-based fare system exists, with the cost of travelling in one zone similar to rates of travel in cities such as London or Toronto. Casara is home to several international airports, the busiest of which are in Dakar and Tepitilan, as well as numerous seaports along the coast. Immigration A visa is required to enter the country, whether as a tourist or as an immigrant, although restrictions vary depending on the individual’s income. Visitors with documented proof of decent income are less vetted than those who are struggling, with individuals wishing to invest in Casara and provide jobs being given almost free reign to enter providing there is a need for the service in the Casaran economy. Visitors subject to deportation are given a lifetime ban on returning to Casara, with those found to have overstayed their visit being given immediate deportation, with manhunts for overstayers being treated the same as those for serious offenders. The strict policy on immigration has been criticized many times in its history, although the Casaran government maintains that it requires the strict policy in order to ensure that the costs of providing goods to Casarans stays as low as it can be- if the Casarans have too many “freeloaders” this would drive up the costs. Deportations can be challenged on appeal, though. Category:Nations of Vicendum Category:Major powers